Body developing and correcting apparatus



Feb. 20, 1940. L. A. TURPIN 2,190,895

BODY DEVELOPING AND CORRECTING APPARATUS Filed June 7, 1937 1% af BY I I y I I ATTORN.

Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BODY DEVELOPING AND CORRECTING APPARATUS 1 Claim.

My invention relates to an apparatus found to be most useful in the developing and correcting of the human body, and it has among its salient objectives:

To provide an apparatus which can be used in various positions, thus making it more effective and efiicient for the purposes for which it is designed;

To provide a portable device, with a simple supporting member which can be permanently mounted on the floor in a horizontal position,

. or which can be mounted on a wall or door frame,

whereby said device can be mounted upright on the floor, or it can be mounted in a horizontal position, projecting from said wall or door frame;

To provide in an apparatus of the character referred to means for regulating the tension, whereby to require more or less physical strength to operate, thus making it possible for each person to adjust it to his needs;

To provide in such an apparatus gripping elements of soft flexible material and of such shape that when engaged by the feet they operate to effectively massage and build up the arches of the foot as the foot is pressed against and rolled upon said gripping elements in the use of the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description ofv one practical embodiment thereof, taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing my device mounted on the floor, with another support therefor mounted on a door frame;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device, with parts broken out;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 is a view showing how the foot is treated as it is pressed upon and moved over the crank element.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, my invention as here illustrated consists of a tubular standard 6, having a fiat tapering base I, adapted to be moved edgewise into a supporting member 8, which can be secured to a floor, as at 9, Fig. 1, or it can be secured to a door frame 9', as also seen in Fig. 1, thus making it possible to move the standard from one suport to another, as may he desired. A set screw I 0, through said base I, secured it against accidental removal from the supporting member 8, as will be understood from said drawing.

The upper end of said standard is provided with a split tubular head II, having the flange portions, I2, I2, adapted to be drawn together by means of a screw bolt I3.

Rotatably mounted in said head I I is a tubular member I4, the opposite ends of which project beyond the opposite ends of said head, and each has mounted thereon a crank element I5, having means at its attached end for tightening it in place on the end of said tubular member I4, and at its opposite end being provided with a gripping element I6, made of rubber or other soft material, and shown mounted on an inner tubular member I1, rotatably mounted on a crank pin I8, secured to the end of the crank arm I5, substantially as shown.

Attention is called to the form of this rubber element I6 which is round and tapering toward each end, whereby as the foot is pressed thereupon, as indicated in Fig. 5, and rolled thereon, as indicated by the broken line position, it operates to massage the foot and the arches thereof as the foot is rolled or moved back and forth thereon, as the legs are operating the cranks. This is accomplished while the person is lying on his back, or sitting in a chair before the device; whether the device is mounted on the floor or on the door frame.

The device is advantageously usable by a person from many positions and with many benefits in developing the human body and in correcting it in various ways. For example: assuming that the device is mounted in the supporting member 8 on the door frame 9, and is projecting outwardly therefrom. The person lies fiat on his back with his head toward the device and his feet straight outwardly therefrom, and in this position the person reaches back over his head and grasps the two gripping elements It, I6, of the cranks, and turns them, first in one direction and then in another. This will develop the muscles of the shoulders, arms and chest. If the person then turns over on his stomach and reaches up and grasps the two elements I6, I6, it will be understood that he must raise his shoulders and chest off of the floor and as he operates the cranks, .he is bringing into use shoulder, arm and chest muscles and at the same time the back is bowed outwardly or upwardly.

Now if the person turns end for end, he can operate the pedals with his feet thereon, thus massaging the arches of the feet and at the same time exercising the muscles of the legs.

With the apparatus standingupright on the floor, as seen in Fig. 1, the person can stand over it and by bending down can grip the elements l6, l6, and operate them while in this position, thus bringing other muscles into use.

I have not undertaken to show the human body in the various positions described, or in manyother uses, as it is believed the use of the apparatus will be understood from the .descriptions given above.

As the muscles develop and become stronger, the adjustment screw l3 can be tightened so that the friction in the head I I will be increased. The use of a hollow tubular member l4, in said head, prevents undue heating 0! the rotating parts therein.

The apparatus can be removed from its supporting member 8 and put in any out-of-the-way place when not in use and can as readily be set up for use, thus making it a most practical, economical and highly beneficial developing and correcting apparatus for use by those who would improve their bodies.

upon said crank member, round combination hand-gripping and feet-exercising members on \for causing and varying the amount'of Iriction 7 said crank arms, whereby said apparatus can be operated by the feet or by the hands, supporting means for said apparatus having a tapering receiving socket to receive the supporting member of said standard whereby said supporting means is adapted to detachably receive and hold said base in vertical or horizontal positions,

' whereby said apparatus can be used in diflerent positions. A

LETA A. 'I'UltE'IlI. 

